Paper sheet folding machines



July 2s, 1959 s. R. FRY Em 2,896,942

PAPER SHEET FOLDING MACHINES Filed Feb. s, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 1 @E; L gli, L: "f: 55 35 EZ E L. -x- 39 fw 5f LJ; L@-

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July 2s, 1959 s. R. FRY ET AL PAPER SHEET FOLDING MAcHiNEs k, F ile`d Feb. 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V9/HWI: HMWMHHIHMM l ,www .LJ www@ e@ 5 ,m 9 i i ||||H u N. .Q 9 um. N

4 shets-sheet s Filed Feb. 5, 1957 S. R. FRY ETAL PAPER SHEET FOLDING MACHINES July 28, 1959 Filed Feb. s, 1957 United States Patent O i PAPER SHEET FLDING MACHINES Stanley Reginald Fry and Denis Vernon McCormick, both of Letchworth, England, assignors to Camco (Machinery) Limited, Letchworth, England, a British company Application February `5, 1957, Serial No. 638,306

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 6, 1956 8 Claims. (Cl. 270-84) This invention relates to paper sheet handling machinery and is more particularly concerned with an improved -arrangement for eifecting accurate registration of a paper sheet in two ysuccessive spaced apart positions along a path over which the sheet is being conveyed. A particular, yalthough by no means exclusive, -application of the invention is to the initial registration of -a paper sheet with respect to a perforating knife blade disposed transversely to the direction of conveyance of the sheet and the subsequent registration of the sheet, after perforation, with respect to a knife folder blade whereby the knife fold is made exactly along the perforation line.

According to the broadest -aspect of the invention, use is made of a device having two separate lay-stops which are spaced apart, in the direction of feeding or conveyance movement of the sheet, by the exact distance between the initial stop position and the second stop position, the rst of said lay-stop elements being movable by suitable machine-controlled mechanism whereby it can be displaced from its obstructing position so as to allow the sheet to move forwards to abut the second laystop.

In a preferred arrangement, both lay-stops `are mounted on a common carrier structure whereby they may be adjusted in position, without altering their mutual spacing distance, along the direction of feeding movement. of the sheet in order to accommodate sheets of different size and/or different positional requirements for the pair of registration positions with respect to the forward edge of the moving sheet. In the particular application of the invention to the initial perforation of a paper sheet along a given transverse line and the subsequent folding of such sheet along the line of perforations when made, additional reciprocating gripper members are preferably provided for engaging the forward edge of the sheet at or after the time of perforation, such gripper members thereafter moving to assist the forward movement of the sheet to labut the second lay-stop. Such gripper members are conveniently arranged .to have a sustained resilient gripping action on the sheet whereby they are at least partially drawn off the edge of the sheet 'while still exerting Ia resilient grip thereon by the contact at the forward edge of the sheet with the second lay-stop.

In order -that the nature of this invention may be more readily understood one particular constructional embodiment thereof will now be described by way of illustrative example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the first and second lay-stops, the first lay-stop being shown in its raised or operative position.

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, showing such first lay-stop in its displaced or lowered position.

Figure 3 is a similar fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the associated sheet gripper devices, such 2,896,942 Patented July 2S, 1959 device being located in its advanced or initial sheet grasping position.

, Figure 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the gripper device in its retracted or sheet releasing position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view, taken in a vertical plane, showing the lay-stops and one of the gripper devices with relation to the machine ,framework while Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of those parts of the lay-stops, gripper device and the machine frame included in Fig. 5.

' Figures 5 and 6 deal with approximately one half of the transverse width of the machine, the arrangements on the opposite side being a replica of those shown.

Referring to the drawings, the paper sheet S in the machine is carried upon suitable feeding means such as a series of longitudinally moving feed tapes 42, Figs. 5 |and 6, passing around rollers of which one is shown at 43, whereby such sheet is moved in the direction of the arrow n. By such movement the sheet S is initially brought with its forward trans-verse edge s1 into abutting contactwith a first lay-stop 10 at which position it is suitably located to be operated upon by a perforating knife blade 11 so as to produce, in conjunction with 'a stationary die-block 12, a line of perforations P lying transverse to its direction of feeding movement.

As will be described in detail'later, the lay-'stop 10 is arranged to be moved by machine-controlled mechanism out of the path of the sheet S whereby the latter is permitted to move forwardly in the same direction of movement as before to bring its forward edge s1 into engagement with a second lay-stop 22. When the sheet S engages this second lay-stop, the line of perforations P previously made are in accurate registerwith the knife blade 23 of a knife folder device, said knife blade being positioned above the nip of two fold rolls 2.4 which are rotatably mounted in the main side frame plates 4l of the machine. These rolls serve, upon suitable operation of the knife blade 23, to pass the sheet S through the fold rolls 24 so as to provide, in known manner, a fold in the sheet with the fold edge exactly coincident With the line of perforations P.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the lay-stop member 10 comprises a rectangular section metal bar setin a substantially vertical plane and disposed transversely of the machine between the opposing side frame plates 41, said bar being secured on the forward face of a transverse angle section member 44. VNear to each of its opposite ends the angle section member 44 is provided with a bifurcated lng 45 secured to the rearward surface of the vertical limb thereof, said lug receiving `one end of a link arm 14 which is connected thereto by pivot pin 46. The under-surface of the horizontal limb of the angle section member 44 is likewise provided, again at points near to its opposite ends and also at intermediate points, with second bifurcated lugs 47 each of which receives one end of a further link arm 15 pivotally connected thereto by means of pivot pin 48.

Situated behind the lay-stop plate 10 and angle section member 44, when viewed from the direction of movement of the sheet S, there is located the second laystop 22 also in the form of an angle section metal bar. This bar is provided at each end with an extension lug 49 to which is secured an upstanding carrier body 13 bored horizontally to receive one of two horizontal supportvrods 25 which are held at their most rearward ends, not shown, by carrier means rigidly secured to the main framework of the machine. To the vertical surface of the bar 22 facing the lay-stop 10 is secured a further pair of bifurcated lugs 5i) each of which receives the opposite end of the upper link arm 14, the latter being 3 connected thereto by pivot -pin 51. At points opposite the further bifurcated lugs 47 on the member 44, the undersurface of the bar 22 is provided also with bifurcated lugs 52 for receiving the opposite ends of the various lower link arms 15 which are individually secured' to their associated lugs by pivot pins 53.

Each end of the member 44 is provided with a downwardly directed lug 54 which receives the end of a stub upon which is mounted a roller 16. Each roller 16 is arranged to ride on the upper surface of a horizontal guide bar 17 also of angle section, such guide bar being provided at spaced apart positions of its length with two outwardly directed axle stubs 55 forming the pivotal support for the free ends of two lever arms 18, 18a which are of equal length. The opposite ends of these lever arms are rigidly secured each to an individual transverse axle 19, 19a which are journalled respectively in suitable bearing bushes 56 secured to the inner surfaces of the adjacent main side frame plates 41 of the machine. Each of the axles 19 is extended outwardly beyond the side frame plate 41 and has secured thereto one end of a further lever arm 20 to the opposite end of which is pivotally connected one end of an operating rod 21 which extends downwardly to a slotted guide 57 provided with a cam follower roller 58 in engagement with the contoured surface of a rotary cam 59 secured to a longitudinal cam shaft 6@ geared to the machine drive and making one revolution for each perforating/folding operation.

The operation of the parts so Vfar described is as follows. The initial registration position of the sheet S is that shown in Fig. 1. In this initial registration position the sheet S has been conveyed by the feed tapes 42 in the direction of the arrow a to bring its forward transverse edge s1 into contact with the vertical surface of the plate forming the rst lay-stop 10. In this position the forward edge region of the sheet S lies upon a transverse support plate 61 and the perforating knife blade 11 is disposed exactly above and in register with the desired position of the line of perforations. The perforating mechanism is then operated to produce the required row of perforations P in the sheet. By reason of the interconnection of the cam shaft 6@ with the remainder of the machine mechanism including its main driving shaft, the cam 59 at this instant commences to operate upon the cam follower roller 58 so as to cause the operating rod 21 to move upwardly thereby rocking the lever arm 26, Fig. l, in an anti-clockwise direction to cause .the horizontal guide bars 17 at each side of the machine to be lowered while still retaining their respective horizontal positions due to the parallel motion linkage provided by the equi-length lever arms 18 and 18a. This lowering of the guide bars 17 causes a corresponding downward movement of the rollers 16 which are supported thereon whereby the transverse member 44 and the lay-stop` 1t) which is carried thereby, are likewise lowered. In the final lowered position, shown in Fig. 2, the uppermost edge of the lay-stop member has disappeared below the horizontal plane of movement of the sheet S whereby the latter is now free to move forwardly again under the influence of the feed tapes 42 to arrive at the position shown in Fig. 2 where the forward transverse edge s1 is now in abutting engagement with the facing surface of the angle bar which constitutes the second and fixed lay-stop 22. When the sheet S is in this second position, the line of perforations P made previously is now in precise registration with the operating plane of the knife folder blade 23 which is thereupon operated, due to its timed mechanical interconnection with the rest of the driving mechanism of the machine, so that the perforated sheet is then caused to enter the nip between the fold rolls 24 and is thereby folded along a fold line which is exactly coincident with the row of perforations.

It will be observed that the upper link arms 14 are shorter than the lower link arms 15. This causes the lay-stop bar 10, in addition to its falling movement below the plane of the sheet S, also to be rocked slightly out of its normal vertical plane whereby its upper edge moves away from the `forward edge s1 of the sheet S. This allows the sheet S to start its forward movement promptly upon completion of the perforation operation and prevents any tendency of the forward edge of such sheet to buckle or distort.

It is clearly desirable to provide arrangements which will permit the disposition of the moving lay-stop 16 and the fixed lay-stop 22 at any one of a number of different locations relative to the perforating and knife folding planes while still maintaining their accurate mutual separation distance, in order, for instance, to allow the machine to be used with different sizes of paper sheet and/ or to allow the required combined perforation and folding to be effected at different distances from the edge s1 of such sheet. This is effected by securing each of the can rier bodies 13 to the horizontal rods 25 by adjustable clamp means whereby such bodies (and the parts carried thereby) may be moved to any desired position along the horizontal support rods (between the limits shown respectively in full and dotted lines in Fig. l) and then rmly secured thereto. To this end and in order to facilitate accurate adjustment and alignment of the lay-stop members 1t?, 22 with respect to the forward edge s1 of the ad vancing sheet S, each of the said support rods 25 is provided with a rotatable sleeve 26 which is externally screwthreaded and is also formed with means, suchk as a grub screw, by which it may be rigidly secured at any desired position along the associated rod. The carrier bodies 13 each have a clearance hole for receiving the associated sleeve while knurled locking nuts 27, one on each side of the carrier body, are provided for the purpose of facilitating tine adjustment of the position of the carrier bodies 13 and hence of the lay-stops. -Suitable index markings may be provided along the length of the support rods 25 for initial setting purposes.

There is a tendency for the cut edges of the perforation holes or slots made in the sheet S by the perforating knife blade 11, to remain trapped in the die-block 12 after the perforating blade 11 has been removed. As a result of this, the tractivev eort exerted upon the sheet S by the normal sheet feeding means such as the movable feed tapes 42 shown, may be insuticient to free the sheet S from the die-block after perforation and may thereby prevent its proper further forward movement to the secon'd and fixed lay-stop 22. In order to overcome this difficulty the device shown is also provided with a plurality of horizontally reciprocating gripper members 29 which are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4.

These reciprocating gripper members each comprise a lower jaw blade 3@ disposed in a horizontal plane and lying in the direction of movement of the sheet with the upper surface thereof just below the level of the sheet. The edge of the jaw blade facing the edge s1 of the sheet is bevelled as shown at 31. This blade 3i! is rigidly secured to the under-side of a slide member 32 which is itself carried upon a horizontal guide rod 'i4 by the passage of the latter through a suitable horizontal aperture therein. An upper gripper jaw blade 35 of a form similar to but shorter than that of the blade 30 is secured to a rocker arm 36 by means of an angularly adjustable coupling including a clamping bolt 63, said rocker arm 36 being pivotally mounted upon the slide member 32 by means of a pivot pin 37. The rocker arm 36 is either weight or spring loaded whereby the respective jaw blades 30 and 35, which lie in alignment with one another, may operate resiliently to grip the forward edge region of the sheet S. The rocker arm 36 is provided with an upstanding extension arm 64 which carries a horizontal stub pin 65 having a transversely directed roller 66 thereon. This roller 66 is adapted to come into contact with the facing surface 67 of an adjustable stop block 68 also carried 'hpoit and capable of being secured to the associated guide 4rod 34. The clamp bolt 63 at the leading end of the 'rocker arm 36 is also provided with a horizontal transversely directed roller 38 and this is adapted to come into contact with and to ride upon the sloping ramp surface 39 of a block 40 which is rigidly secured to the second or fixed lay-stop member 22. The slide member 32 is 'provided with an upward extension 69 bored to receive a horizontally disposed operating rod 33 which is slidably supported in guide blocks 70 located respectively near the front and back ends of the guide rod 34. Such operating rods are each connected by means of link arms 71 with the upper ends of an associated pair of lever arms 72 which are connected to a horizontal transverse axle 73 carried in the main machine frame plates 41. One of the lever arms 72 forms part of a bell crank lever, the opposite lever arm 74 of which is connected to a downwardly directed connecting rod 7S whose lower end is provided with a cam follower roller carried upon a strap member defining a slot which embraces the transverse cam shaft 76. Such cam shaft is coupled to the longitudinal cam shaft 6i) by a lzl geared connection and is provided with an operating cam for engagement with the cam follower roller.

ln the operation of these further gripping and feeding members, with the sheet S approaching its initial, i.e. prior to perforating, position, the slide members 32 and the gripper jaw blades 30, 35 carried thereby are advanced towards the leading edge sll of the sheet S, i.e. in the direction opposite to the arrow a, by the appropriate timed operation of the cam shaft 76 acting through the link arms 71. During this forward movement and at a point just before the jaw blades reach the limit of their travel, the roller 66 on the arm 64 of the rocker arm 36 engages the surface 67 of the stop block 68 and causes said upper jaw blade to be lifted and thereby prevents any impediment of the movement `of the sheet S into contact with the lay-stop 10. After the first lay-stop 10 has disappeared below the plane of the sheet S subse-v quent to perforation, as already described above, the cani. shaft 76 causes reciprocation of the operating rods 33` in the opposite direction, i.e. in the same direction as the arrow a, thereby moving each of the slide members 32 correspondingly. Immediately the roller 66 departs from the stop block 68 the upper jaw blade 35 is lowered and serves to grip the sheet S between itself and the lower jaw blade 30. Both jaw blades are withdrawn in unison as they are both secured to the slide member 32 whereby the sheet S is itself drawn thereby in the direction of the arrow a and is freed from any holding by the perforations in the die-block 12. Eventually the sheet S is thrus moved to bring its edge s1 into contact with the second and fixed lay-stop 22 as already described by the combined action of the gripper blades and the feed tapes 42. The movement of the slide members 32 continues after this point, however, whereby the gripper jaw blades 30, 35 are at least partially drawn off the edge of the sheet S while still exerting a resilient grip thereon. This ensures that the sheet is firmly and accurately positioned against the lay-stop 22 and avoids any possible mis-alignment due to bouncing of the edge of the sheet. Means are preferably provided and are shown for releasing the resilient grip of the jaw blades before they are completely drawn off the edge of the sheet. This is eected by the contact, at the appropriate moment, of the rollers 3S carried on each of the rocker arms 36 with the ramp surface 39 of the block 40. This causes the upper jaw blade 35 to rise and thereby to release the sheet. The weight or spring pressure exerted between the gripper jaw blades is so adjusted that the frictional resistance exerted thereby is just insuflicient to cause buckling of the sheet edge against the fixed lay-stop.

lt will be evident that any adjustment of the position of the fixed and movable lay-stops to accommodate differerit sizes of sheet and/ or different dispositions of the comassen@ 6 Y bined perforating and folding line will need to be accompanied by corresponding adjustment of position of the slide members 32 carrying the gripper jaw bladesand of the stop blocks 68. The latter are each provided with adjustable clamping means for securing them in any desired position along their associated guide rods 34 whereas the slide members 32 are each releasably secured to the reciprocating operating rods 33 by spring clamp means as shown at 77.

Various modifications may obviously be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the moving lay-stops could be arranged to rise above the level of the sheet S instead of falling below it or such stops could be arranged merely to pivot about a horizontal transverse axis.

We claim:

1. In a sheet handling machine having a machine drive, sheet conveying means for moving a paper sheet along a given linear path, a sheet perforator comprising a stationary die block and a co-operating movable perforator blade for perforating said sheet along a transverse line at a predetermined position along said path, first lay stop means for arresting said sheet from travel along saidlinear path at the position appropriate to the operation of said first sheet perforator, a second sheet operation-performing `device for performing a second operation on said sheet at a position having a predetermined relationship to the line of perforations made by said sheet perforator, second lay stop means for arresting said sheet from movement along said path at a second position appropriate to the operation of said second sheet operation-performing means, time controlled mechanism coupled to said machine drive for moving said first lay stop from a first and sheet obstructing position to a second non-obstructing position to a1- low said sheet to move from said first lay stop into engagement with said second lay stop at a time subsequent to operation of said sheet perforator and prior to the operation of said second sheet operation-performing means and reciprocating sheet gripper means for engaging the forward edge of said sheet free to pull said sheet from said die block of said perforator at said rst arrested position towards said second arrested position after operation of said sheet perforator.

2. In a paper sheet handling machine having a machine drive shaft, sheet conveying means for moving a paper sheet along a given linear path, sheet perforan'ng means for perforating said sheet along a line transverse to said path, said perfor-ating means comprising a stationary die block and a co-operating reciprocating perforator blade, first lay stop means for arresting saidl sheet from travel along said path at the position appropriate to the operation of said sheet perforating device, sheet folding means performing a folding operation on said sheet along a line transverse to said path and in a predetermined relationship to said line of perforations made by said sheet perforating means, second lay stop means for arresting said sheet from movement along said linear path at a second position appropriate for the operation of said second sheet folding means to produce a transverse fold having a predetermined positional relationship to said perforation line, a time controlled mechanism coupled to said machine drive shaft for moving said first lay stop from a .first and sheet obstructing position to a non-obstructing posit-ion to allow said sheet to move from said first lay stop into engagement with said second lay stop at a time subsequent to operation of said sheet perforating means and prior to the operation of said sheet folding means and reciprocating sheet gripper means for engaging the forward edge of said sheet to pull said sheet free from said die block at said rst arrested position towards said second arrested position after operation of said sheet perforating means.

3. A paper sheet handling machine according to claim 7 2 in which said first lay stop means includes a platelike member adapted to lie on a vertical plane when in said first lsheet-obstructing position, said plate-like member being arranged to execute a combined falling and swinging movement away from said sheet when moving to said second position.

4. 'In a paper sheet handling machine including a machine frame, a machine drive, sheet conveying means for `conveying a sheet along a predetermined horizontal linear sheet conveyance Apath, sheet positioning means comprising a rst lay stop device positioned in said path, a vsecond lay stop device positioned in said path at a predetermined spacing vdistance beyond said 'first lay stop device and lay stop displacing means operated from said machine drive for displacing said first lay stop device from a first position where it obstructs the passage of vsaid sheet along said path to a second position which allows said sheet to be conveyed further along said path to become'engaged with said second lay stop device, saidsecond lay stop device comprising a plate-like member disposed transversely to said path direction, at least one carrier body secured to said transverse plate member, an aperture in said carrier body having its axis parallel with said path direction, a supporting rod passing through said aperture, said support rod being rigidly secured to said machine frame, clamp means interconnecting said supporting rod with said carrier body for adjustment of the position of the said body along said supporting rod, said first lay stop device comprising a second plate like member disposed transversely to said path direction, multiple arm linkage means connecting said second plate like member to said second lay stop device for allowing a rise and fall motion of said first lay stop `device relative :to said second lay stop device, and said lay stop displacing means comprising a follower roller on said first lay stop device, a runway for said follower roller having a horizontal operative surface, linkage means connected between said runway and said machine frame for supporting said runway in a manner allowing rise and fall motion thereof and operating means controlled by said machine drive for raising and lowering said runway to cause corresponding movement of said firstlay stop device at appropriate timed intervalsrelative to the machine operation cycle regardless of the particularhorizontal adjustment position of said first and lay'stop devices on said support rod.

5,. In a paper sheet handling machine including a machine'frame, a machine drive, sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet along a horizontal linear path, sheet positioning means comprising a first movable lay stop device positioned along said path, a second fixed lay stop device positioned along said path at a predetermined spacing distance beyond said first lay stop device and lay stop displacing means operated from said machine drive foi moving said first lay stop device between a first -position where it obstructs the passage of said sheet along said path and a second position which allows said sheet to be conveyed further along said path to become engaged with said second lay stop device, said second lay stop device comprising a plate like member disposed transversely to said path direction, at least one carrier body secured to -said transverse plate member, an yaperture in said carrier body having its axis parallel with said path direction, a supporting rod passing through said aperture, said support Vrod being rigidly secured to said machine frame, screw adjustment mechanism interconnecting said supporting rod with said carrier body for adjustment of the position of ythe said body along said supporting rod, said first lay stop device comprising a second plate like member disposed transversely to said ,path direction,-linkage means comprising at least one yupperlink arm and .at least one lower link rarm longer than s'ai'd upper Llink arml connecting said second plate like member to said second lay stop device for causing a combined rise and fall and tilting motion of said first lay stop device relative to said second lay stop device, and said lay stop displacing means comprising a follower roller on said first lay stop device, a runway for said follower roller having a horizontal operative surface, linkage means connected between said runway and said machine frame for supporting said runway `in a manner allowing rise and fall motion thereof and operating means controlled by said machine drive for raising yand lowering said runway to cause raising or lowering and rocking movement of said first lay stop device at appropriate timed intervals relative to the machine operatingcycle regardless of the particular horizontal adjustment position of said first and second lay stop devices on said support rod.

6. ln a paper sheet handling machine, a machine drive, sheet conveying means for moving a paper sheet along a given linear path, first sheet operation performing means for performing a first operation on said Sheet at a predetermined position `along said path, first movable lay stop means for arresting said sheet from travel along said linear path at a first position appropriate to the operation of said first sheet operation performing means, a second sheet operation performing means for effecting a second operation on said sheet, second lay stop means for arresting said sheet after further movement along said path at a second position appropriate to the operation of said second sheet operation performing means, time controlled mechanism coupled to said machine drive for moving said first lay stop from a first sheet obstructing position to a seco-nd nonobstructing position to allow said sheet to move onwards after arrest by said first lay stop means. into engagement with said second lay stop means at a time subsequent to operation of said first sheet operation performing means and prior to the operation of said second sheet operation performing means and reciprocating sheet gripper means for engaging the forward edge of said sheet to pull said sheet from said first arrested position towards said second arrested position after operation of said first sheet operation performing means, said sheet gripper means comprising a first gripper blade operable in a plane beneath that of said sheet, a transverse carrier rigidly supporting said first gripper blade, said carrier including a slide block, a second sheet gripper blade operable above the plane of said sheet, a pivoted lever arm carrying said second sheet gripper blade, said lever arm being pivotally connected to said slide block, a slide guide passing through said slide block, a reciprocating operating rod passing through said guide block, releasab'le position adjusting means interconnecting said guide block with said operating rod, means for reciprocating said operating rod in timed relationship to said machine drive, a fixed abutment on said slide guide and an abutment roller carried on said pivotal lever arm carrying said second gripper blade for contacting said abutment at the forward end of reciprocatory motion of said operating rod and said slide block to raise said second gripper blade to receive the forward edge of the paper sheet between it and said first gripper blade and thereafter, upon reversed motion of said operating rod and said slide block, to cause gripping of said paper sheet between said first and second gripper blades thereby to draw said sheet from said first to said second arrested position.

7. ln a paper sheet handling machine', a machine drive, sheet conveying means for moving a paper sheet along a linear horizontal path, sheet perforating means comprising a stationary die block and a reciprocating perforating blade for performing a sheet perforating operation on said sheet at a predetermined position along said path, first movable lay stop means for arresting said sheet from travel along said path at a first position appropriate to the operation of said sheet perforating means, a further operation performing device for effecting soep/ia ,9 second operation n said sheet at a position having a predetermined relationship to the perforations made by said sheet perforating means, second lay stop means for arresting said sheet after renewed movement along said path at a second position appropriate to the operation of said further operation performing device, time controlled mechanism coupled to said machine drive for moving said first llay stop from a iirst sheet obstructing position to a second non-obstructing position to allow said sheet to move onwards after arrest by said first lay stop into engagement with said second lay stop means at a time subsequent to the completion of said sheet perforating operation and prior to the operation of said further operation performing device and yreciprocating sheet gripper means for engaging the edge of said sheet to pull said sheet forcibly from said first arrested position into said second arrested position after operation of said sheet perforating means, said sheet gripper means comprising a first sheet gripper blade operable in a plane beneath that of said sheet, a transverse carrier rigidly supporting said first gripper blade, said carrier including a slide block, a second sheet gripper blade operable above the plane of said sheet, a pivoted lever arm carrying said second gripper blade, said lever arm being pivotally mounted on said slide block, a stationary slide guide passing through said slide block, a reciprocating `operating rod passing through said slide block, releasable position adjusting means interconnecting said slide block with said operating rod, means for reciprocating said operating rod in timed relationship to said machine drive, a fixed abutment on said slide guide and an abutment roller carried on said pivotal lever arm carrying said second gripper blade for contacting said abutment at the forward end of reciprocatory motion of said operating rod and said slide block to raise said second gripper blade to receive the forward edge off the paper sheet between it and said first gripper blade and thereafter, upon reversed motion of said guide operating rod and said slide block to cause gripping of said paper sheet between said first and second `gripper blades thereby to draw said sheet :from said rst to said second arrested position.

8. In a. paper sheet handling machine having a machine frame, a machine drive, sheet conveying means for moving a paper sheet along a first section of a horizontal linear path, a stationary transverse perforating die block at the end of said first path section, a reciprocatory perforator knife blade movable vertically labove and cooperating with said die block to produce a line of perforations in said sheet transverse to said linear path direction, a pair of parallel fold rollers disposed transversely to said linear path direction at a predetermined spacing distance beyond said perforator knife blade, a vertical reciprocating folder knife blade positioned above said fold rollers, first stationary sheet supporting means having a support surface forming a second section of said horizontal path between said die block and said folding knife blade, further stationary -sheet supporting means having a support surface continuing said horizontal path beyond said folding knife blade, first lay stop means located beyond said further stationary sheet supporting means for arresting said paper sheet by the contact of its forward edge therewith at the position appropriate to produce a row of transverse perforations therein by operation of said perforator knife blade, said first lay stop means including time controlled mechanism coupled to said machine drive for moving said first lay stop to a position out of obstructing contact with said sheet, second lay stop means positioned along said linear path of sheet movement at a distance beyond said first ilay stop such that when said forward edge of said sheet contacts such second lay stop means, said transverse line of perforations is accurately aligned with said folder knife blade, reciprocating sheet gripper means for engaging said forward edge of said sheet when in contact with said first lay stop device and timed operating means coupled to said machine drive for operating said sheet gripper means to forcibly pull said sheet free from said perforator die block and into contact with said second lay stopy device after said first lay stop device has been moved out of obstructing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 164,977 Daniels June 29, 1875 204,772 Spalckhaven June 11, 1878 293,120 Tucker Feb. 5, 1884 2,711,317 Maupin June 21, 1955 

